File photo of fresh palm fruits and palm oil. (Slpu9945/iStock/Getty Images)

USDA’s Indonesia desk predicts increased palm oil production

An El Nino event could weigh on that outlook

MarketsFarm — Indonesia, the world’s largest producer of palm oil, is forecast to see a three per cent rise in production in 2023-24, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service post in Jakarta. The country’s USDA post anticipates 46 million tonnes of palm oil production, which would be up from 44.7 during […] Read more

CBOT May 2023 soybeans with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago soy closes lower

Brazil production, Fed in focus for soy; wheat, corn still capped by Black Sea deal extension

Reuters — Chicago soy futures reversed gains to close lower on Tuesday, pushed down by rising estimates of Brazilian production, while corn and wheat dipped as markets kept a cautious eye on an expected Federal Reserve rate hike. Wheat and corn continue to be capped by the extension of a Black Sea export corridor from […] Read more


File photo of a CN locomotive. (Dave Bedard photo)

CN, mechanics avert strike with tentative deal

Ratification votes pending

Canadian National Railway and the union representing its mechanics and intermodal and clerical workers have reached a tentative labour deal, averting a potential strike. CN, Unifor Local 100 and Unifor Council 4000 on Monday announced they have reached four new tentative collective agreements to cover about 3,000 railway employees, who had voted earlier this month […] Read more

CBOT May 2023 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soy closes higher on rising crude oil, stocks values

Ukraine Black Sea grain deal extended for at least 60 days

Mexico City | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soy futures rallied from a three-month low to close higher on Monday, catching a tailwind from U.S. stocks reassured by the announcement that UBS agreed to buy battered rival Credit Suisse, analysts said. Gains in oil prices also pushed up soybeans, which are used in ethanol […] Read more


Vessels are seen as they await inspection under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered by the UN and Turkey, in the southern anchorage of the Bosphorus at Istanbul on Dec. 11, 2022. (File photo: Reuters/Yoruk Isik)

Ukraine Black Sea grain deal extended for at least 60 days

UN, Turkey not yet specifying extension's duration

Ankara/United Nations | Reuters — A deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of Ukrainian grain was renewed on Saturday for at least 60 days — half the intended period — after Russia warned any further extension beyond mid-May would depend on the removal of some Western sanctions. The pact was brokered with Russia and […] Read more

CBOT May 2023 soft red winter wheat with 20-day moving average, MGEX May 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. May 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago grains end week higher on export demand, Black Sea jitters

Soy pushed down for fifth consecutive week

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat and corn futures posted weekly gains for the first time in five weeks, ending stronger on Friday on high demand for U.S. corn exports and market jitters over the extension of a wartime Black Sea grain deal. Chicago Board of Trade May soft red winter wheat settled up 11-1/2 […] Read more


CBOT May 2023 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago corn closes higher on consecutive China flash sales

Argentina slashes estimate for 2022-23 harvesting season

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn futures ended higher for a third straight session on Thursday on U.S. export demand, while wheat lost ground as the United Nations pushed for an extension of the Black Sea grains deal, analysts said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture made its third consecutive announcement of old-crop U.S. corn sales […] Read more



(File photo by Dave Bedard)

U.S. regulator approves CP’s purchase of Kansas City Southern

Two U.S. grain grower groups warn of reduced rail competition

Washington | Reuters — The Surface Transportation Board of the United States said on Wednesday it had approved Canadian Pacific Railway’s US$31 billion acquisition of railroad company Kansas City Southern, with a series of environmental and competition conditions. The board, which oversees U.S. freight railroads, is imposing some requirements on the deal, which was agreed […] Read more

CBOT May 2023 soft red winter wheat with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago wheat, corn up on Chinese demand, Black Sea outlook

Soy dips on sharp fall in stock, oil markets pressure

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat and corn futures closed higher on Wednesday on strong demand from China and uncertainty over a Black Sea grain export deal as a deadline loomed. Soybeans followed stock and oil markets down after Credit Suisse’s largest investor said it could not provide the Swiss bank with more financial assistance, […] Read more